Game apparatus.



E. H. HEATH. GAME APPARATUB. APPLICATION nun Jun: 18, 1909.

Patented Apr. 12, 1910.

2 SHEBT8-BHEBT 1.

E. H. HEATH.

GAME APPARATUS.

APPLIUATIOE nun mm: 1a. 1900.

Patented Apr. 12,1910.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

UNITED s'ra' rns PATENT OFFICE.

EDWARD H. HEATH, OF HERINGTON, KANSAS.

GAME APPARAT US.

Application filed June 18. 1909.

T 0 all 'vri'mm it may concern:

Be it known that I, Eowann ll. HEATH, a

citizen of the United States. residing at Herington, in the county of Dickinson, State of Kansas. have invented certain new and use ful Improvements in (lame Amwaratus; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full. clear, and exact description of the invci'ition, such will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

This invention relates to game apparatus of the class wherein a. game board is employed in connection with a. plurality of balls and an instrument for shooting the balls to cause them to traverse the game board. and has for one of its objects to improve the construction and amuse and instruct the players and stimulate their skill and interest.

\Vith this and other objects in view. the invention consists in certain novel features of construction as hereafter shown and described and then specifically pointed out. in the claims. and in the drawings illustrative of the preferred embodiment of the invention, Flgure l is a plan view of the hu proved device. Fig. 2 is a transverse section on the line .22 of Fig. 1. Fig. 3 is a diagonal section on the line 33 of Fig. 1, with all the balls but the cue ball removed from the center of the board. Fig. 4. is a view of the ball shooting implement partly in section.

The improved device comprises a board or base 10. preferably square and provided with a margin 11 entirely surrounding the board and projecting above the general surface of the same, as shown. The surface of the board is provided with :tour raised semi-circular portions 12-13-1+l 1 5. the semicircular portions being less in length than the sides of the board so that vacant spaces 16-] (-18 19 remain at the corners of the board. as shown. Formed in the upper face of each of the semi-circular members is a longitudinal recess 20 in which the balls with which the game is to be played are stored when not in use. Rising from the surface of the board within the spaces lt317-18--19 are pegs 21, five pegs being arranged in each space and spaced at equal distances apart and likewise spaced from the corners oi the board. Formed in each of the corner spaces between the pegs 21 and the margin 11, of the board is a segmental shallow recess 22 Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Apr. 12, 1910.

Serial No. 503.006.

to prevent the balls from rolling back after they have been shot out.

A plurality of balls are'provided, and represented at 37. and a. shooting implement or cue device is likewise provided and con structed as illustrated in Fig. 4. This shooting implei'nent comprises a. tubular stock 38 having a longitudinal bore extending there through to slidably receive a rod 39 which forms the shooting member of the device. The stock 38 is also provided with a longitudinal slot +0 having lateral recess ll, and the rod 39 is provided with a pin 42 adapted to enter one of these recesses and support the rod in any required position within the stock. Secured to the inner end of the stock is a tubular handle member 43 into which the inner end of the rod 39 projects. The rod 39 is arranged to be spring-operated, so that. it can be forcibly thrust forward to an extent equal to the range of the slot l0 and thus produce the shooting effect upon the balls. The spring element is preferably formed from an ordinary rubber band connected between the inner end of the stock 38 and the inner end of the rod 39. as shown. The handle member 43 is detachable from the stock 38, so that the rubber band spring may be readily renewed when worn or impaired.

By providing a plurality of notches ll the pin 42 may be set in any one of the notches. and thus control the force of the drive imparted to the ball. Thus it the ball is to be driven with considerable force the rod 39 moved inwardly and the pin 42 connected into the innermost notch, so as to set the rod at its inner point, and thus enable it to exert its greatest force upon the ball. The shoot ing is accomplished by the operator holding the stock 38 in one hand and releasing the pin 42 from the notch 41 with which it is for the time being engaged with the other hand, and thus releasing the spring and pen mitting the rod 39 to be actuated.

In a general way the game is played simi lar to pool and like games. and all the rules of such games may be made to apply. The game is played with balls, preferably hollow metal balls, and practically any number of balls may be employed, but generally from fifteen to twenty-five. The balls are numbered consecutively. and can be played by two or four persons, either partners or otherwise. Each player shoots from L one of the corners, and the player who gets ners, each player is assigned a cue ball distinctive from the other cue balls and distinctive from the playing balls so that it can be readily distinguished from them as for instance by being distinctively colored. The designated number of playing balls are then placed in the center of the board and one of the players shoots his one ball against one or more of the balls in the center of the board which propels and starts them moving. The l balls which roll out between the pegs at the corners and remain in the triangular space in the corners are considered down and are disposed in a designated place, for instance in one of the racks 20, by the player, providing his cue ball remains on the board and does not also roll out between the pegs. The channel 22 serves as a stop to check the balls which may have been driven into the corner by the cue and to pre- 1 vent them from rolling out too easily. If his cue ball does not remain on the board he must stop playing and place the balls which were shot down by that shot, back on the board, and the next player shoots in turn, the turn passin from the right to the left. If the first payer shoots any balls down however the first player brings his cue ball back and shoots again from his corner, always shooting from about one inch in front of the row of pegs at his corner. Each player retains the balls to which he is entitled after each shot and disposes them in the channels and continues shooting until he misses, that is until he fails to shoot any ball down or until his one ball does not re main on the central portion of the board. Assuming that the number of playing balls is 17. when two are playing, the player first shooting down and placing nine balls in his rack 90 wins the game. hen three or more players participate. and do not play partners. the player wins who has the most halls in his rack after all the balls are shot. down.

who first rack up nine balls.

lt will be understood that a number of tlitim'ent games may be played similar to pool, and it is not desired to limit the device to the playing of any specific form of game. The board may be of any required size or cilic material.

\Vhen four players partici- )ate and ula )artners the two ila 'ers win l l It 1 l .l

of any required material, but will prcferably be of wood except the pegs 21 which will be of metal. and the whole board except the pegs may be papicr-mach or similar material or compound, and it is not desired therefore to limit the device of any spe- The border 11 will preferably be extended to project at equal distances from each side of the base or body portion, as shown, and the reverse side of the board may be adapted for playing another game it preferred. lt' preferred the border ll may be of the same height as the semi-circular portions l2l3l+ll5. The pegs 21 are preferably covered with rubber or like material, as repre ented in Fig. l.

\Yhat is claimed is:-

l. A game apparatus comprising :1 rectangular board having an inclosing elevated margin, a llat central portion, a plurality ol raised portions one at each side, and a pluraiil v of pegs spaced apart and located in the corners of the board between the ele- 'ated side portions.

2. .t game apparatus comprising a rectangular board having a Hat central portion, a plurality of raised portions, one at utch side, and a plurality ot pegs spaced apart and located in the corners of the board between the ele ated side portions.

3. A game apparatus comprising :1 rectangular board having a flat central portion, a plurality of raised portions one at each side formed with curved inner edges, and a plurality of pegs spaced apart and lo cated in the corners of the board between the elevated side portions.

l. A. game apparatus comprising a rectangular board having an incloslng elevated margin and a fiat central portion, a plurality of raised portions one at each side formed with curved inner edges, and a plurality of pegs spaced apart and located in the corners of the board between the elevated side portions.

5. A game apparatus comprising a rectangular board having an inclosiug elevated margin and a flat central portion, a plurality of raised portions one at each side, and a plurality of pegs spaced apart and located in the corners of the board between the elevated side ptin'tions, the surface of the board having depressions between the pegs and the inelosing margin.

in testinloirr whereof, I all'ix my signature, in presence of two witnesses.

ELIHVARI) ll. lll lA'lll.

llnesses Conn: Ii. lhuicun'r'r, W nun DisN m. 

